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Anonymous User wrote:I'm an associate at V10 and all of these responses seem off. Fuck, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if one of you offered your first born child for your firm. I have no clue why you're so ready and willing to sell out, especially when it's not being asked of you.

OP: it's totally fine to take a sick day. Just notify the recruiter and the people working with you. If possible, offer to work from home.

TITCR. It's just not that serious. I had two summers in my class who took multiple sick days and nothing was said about it being inappropriate. I can't stand it when coughy/phlegmy/snotty people go into closed spaces and spread their germs. Absolutely yucky.

You should contact your HR rep or recruiter, mentor or whoever you work with closely and ask the procedures, and obviously offer to do work from home, if you can. Or offer to come in over the weekend and make up work that you missed (both summers did this to make up for their sick days).

Anonymous User wrote:Did I really pick the profession where people are afraid to call in sick when they are genuinely sick? I guess that makes me genuinely sick . . .

Yeah, what is the deal with everyone being so macho in here about going into the office while sick at a BigLaw job? Lawyers definitely call out sick at my V25 firm, and I don't think it's a huge deal. A lot work from home when sick.

Here is my biggest point: Why would anyone put their job--especially a corporate job that really doesn't care about individuals at all--above their health? Is that a point of pride or something? There are more important things in life than Vault....

At least OP didn't get sick until after he started work. I've been battling the black plague for about a week now and am supposed to have my first day on Tuesday. As a germaphobe myself, I know I'd lose it if the new guy came in spreading his sickness around the office especially on the first day (what with all the hand-shaking that goes on). But still, it's the first day and I'm the only SA at this office. Would it be a good idea to send an email to the firm letting them know before I get there?

Mitch McDeere wrote:At least OP didn't get sick until after he started work. I've been battling the black plague for about a week now and am supposed to have my first day on Tuesday. As a germaphobe myself, I know I'd lose it if the new guy came in spreading his sickness around the office especially on the first day (what with all the hand-shaking that goes on). But still, it's the first day and I'm the only SA at this office. Would it be a good idea to send an email to the firm letting them know before I get there?

Mitch McDeere wrote:At least OP didn't get sick until after he started work. I've been battling the black plague for about a week now and am supposed to have my first day on Tuesday. As a germaphobe myself, I know I'd lose it if the new guy came in spreading his sickness around the office especially on the first day (what with all the hand-shaking that goes on). But still, it's the first day and I'm the only SA at this office. Would it be a good idea to send an email to the firm letting them know before I get there?

I'm sorry, that sounds like a tough situation. Do you really think you'll still be sick in two days? I guess it depends on that.

Anonymous User wrote:If you don't go then you should have a doctor's note. I've had up to a hundred employees not in the legal field and even when it didn't bother me they called in sick I always remembered. Here you are on a ten week job interview and one person voting against you can sink your chances.

These people are idiots. It is an objectively bad idea from a business standpoint to encourage this sort of behavior among your workers. Now, that isn't to say a lot of managers aren't idiots. A lot of "managers" are suckers for show (going to work sick) over substance (telecommuting while sick).

That said, you can't assume your manager will be an idiot, and I'd contend that the idiots are in the minority. I agree with the V10 Anonymous poster above that unless your presence is really crucial, most people just won't care.

Anonymous User wrote:If you don't go then you should have a doctor's note. I've had up to a hundred employees not in the legal field and even when it didn't bother me they called in sick I always remembered. Here you are on a ten week job interview and one person voting against you can sink your chances. the recruiter will likely say they don't care but you'll think about it the rest of summer.

I recommend Sudafed from behind the pharmacist counter with Pseudoephedrine.

This is absolutely incorrect. Honestly, it sounds like you were a bad manager. Employees don't need to be treated like children. Most employees are able to determine: (a) whether or not they need to come to work which is an independent decision from (b) whether or not they need to go to a health care provider. In my work prior to law school, I was a health care provider. When I was sick, I called out sick - I certainly didn't go see a physician unless I need medical treatment.

When you're a summer associate, you're expected to behave like a professional. That means, if you're sick and should not be at work, then you call out sick and work from home. You let the people you are working with know that you are sick and working from home and make sure they know how to contact you (and you let your secretary know). Professionals don't need notes from health care providers.

FYI - as a rule of thumb, ask yourself how a professional would handle the situation, and go from there.